“Good for the sport,” FIA president voices his support for new sprint weekend format that ‘undermines DNA of F1’

The support of the planned Sprint Race weekend format by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has raised eyebrows, especially following the much-debated decision to trial the new qualifying format at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku next week. The new structure will include two qualifying sessions during the weekend, one for the sprint race and one for the feature/main race on Friday.

All practice sessions will be canceled under the new structure, with the exception of one on Friday, which a qualifying session for the main race on Sunday will follow. The sprint race and its own qualifying session will take place on Saturday. This format change has been criticized by many, with some claiming that it undermines the DNA of Formula 1. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, on the other hand, disagrees with these claims. 

When asked about his opinion on the proposed format, Ben Sulayem simply said, “The sprint is good for the sport.” The new proposal has come after the teams seem to have agreed on the format, with final approval being awaited. Despite the criticism, the FIA is on board with the proposal, and Ben Sulayem’s backing only serves to further legitimize the controversial move.

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F1 is set to return after a four-week hiatus with a brand-new format

F1 will return after a four-week hiatus due to the cancellation of the Chinese GP. It remains to be seen how the new structure will play out, but F1 is committed to continuing to push the envelope and delivering fans with a thrilling spectacle. The Baku sprint race weekend format is only one of several improvements that F1 has implemented to improve the sport over the years.

While some may claim that the new format destroys Formula 1’s historic DNA, others think it is a necessary adjustment to keep the sport entertaining and contemporary. The support of the FIA President for the sprint race format demonstrates that the regulatory body is also on board with the proposal.

It is worth mentioning that Ben Sulayem has been involved in a number of controversies in the past. He went to fight with F1 management over adding another team and dismissed the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund’s offer of $20 billion. Liberty Media saw his remarks meddling in F1’s business matters, triggering a legal letter to the FIA. As part of a reorganization, Nikolas Tombazis took over as FIA’s Single Seater Director, while Ben Sulayem stepped down from day-to-day F1 administration. Ben Sulayem’s current comments are his first in a long time, as the 61-year-old has been in mourning following the loss of his son Saif in a car accident earlier this year. Despite this tragedy, Ben Sulayem is committed to the sport. 

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